Bowman 1

Alexander Bowman
Professor Wilson
ENGL 1302 016
27 October 2014
Deadly Simulation or Harmless Games?
In a society consumed by violent content whether it be movies, music, or television, most
question if violent video games could be the most corrupting to the youths of our time. With an
increased amount of public displays of violence, like the shooting in the movie theatre in Aurora,
Colorado or the massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut;
people are looking for a reason for the unexpected violence. They say violent content has no
effect on the youths of today and that we are using the violent video games as the scapegoat to
blame these horrific tragedies on. In this paper I will review three positions on the issue, Do
violent videogames effect societal violence? First, there are those that believe that there is no
direct correlation between committed violence and the consumption of violent video games.
There is some evidence behind their beliefs, mostly psychological studies and national statistics.
Second, there are those that believe that violent video games do have an impact on adolescents
making them desensitized to violence and becoming more fearful of the world around them.
Third, there are those who are indifferent on whether or not violent video games have an effect
on undeveloped minds, and believe that video game companies should have the right to produce
whatever content they choose, and that the general public should decide whether they or their
children should consume the violent content they purchase. The first amendment states that

Bowman 2
people should be able to print whatever content they want to the general public, and some
believe this applies to video games also, whether the content includes violence or not.
The belief that violent video games dont have an impact on our youth is mostly based
upon the evidence that while the sales of violent video games [sales] have increased over the last
century meaning that the content are more directly accessible to young adults and children while
violence on the other hand have been on a massive decline. Christopher Ferguson, who is an
Associate Professor and Chair of the Psychology Department at Stetson University, has done
many psychological studies which consistently provided the same outcome and the results
indicate no direct change in personality or behavior in children who have been exposed to violent
video games over an extended period of time. Ferguson later goes to say We should accept that,
whether we like violent video games or not, if we are serious about reducing crime, our attention
is better focused on other issues such as poverty, mental health care or educational disparities.
Contrary to the evidence, there are many who still believe that violent video games do
have a negative impact on adolescents. While evidence show there is no direct correlation
between societal violence and video games, that doesnt justify the fact why there is an increase
in displays of public violence in todays culture. Many violent video games today are in the
perspective of first person in which the player [where you] holds a gun that looks very realistic.
The killing of people and committing of crimes creates as an incentive in these violent
simulations. Many believe that by allowing adolescents to simulate these horrendous acts will
incite them to commit similar acts in real life. Some youngsters today play up to 3-4 hours of
violent video game content a day. Even Ferguson says that while violent video games may not
have an effect on the average youths mind, children that use intense video games to release their
violent tendencies are in danger of having negative reactions that could evoke possible violent

Bowman 3
actions. Chad Powell, a writer for the Oxford University Press, says that the aggressive effects
of violent video games exist is compelling evidence and effectively builds their case, of violent
video games arousing violent actions.
Many have the opinion that it doesnt matter what content the video game designers are
putting in their games, instead, they believe that designers are entitled to produce whatever game
content they wish under the first amendment. Under the Bill of Rights, we are given right of free
expression under the freedom of speech and print. People believe that video games today, which
some consider an art form due to the complexity in both story and graphics, fall under the right
of free expression. In an article written by Eric Gerson, a Brooklyn Law School Graduate, he
explains why the U.S Constitutions First Amendment jurisprudence on the violence in video
games is based on the premises that may soon be outdated. It also explains why cases like
American Amusement Machine Association v. Kendrick, a case that involved the baring of
minors from video arcade games containing simulated graphic violence, may become archaic as
technology develops more realistic and interactive games in the future. Gerson then goes on to
suggest legal suggestions to ensure protection for video game designers under the First
Amendment. However the question remains, should [these] video game designers be allowed to
publish their content when it could possibly evoke someone to commit violent actions on a
public scale?
Violent video games have a wide variety of positions on how the issue should be handled.
With violence in video games becoming a rising trend amongst the media, this issue is gaining
importance as it has the potential to greatly affect our society if handled incorrectly. How do you
think violent video games should be handled? Should it be brushed off as another taboo that our
society has to deal with or should immediate action be taken?

Bowman 4
Works Cited
Ferguson, Christopher J. "Is Video Game Violence Bad?." Psychologist 27.5 (2014): 324-327.
Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 Sept. 2014.
Gerson, Eric T. "Video Game Violence And The Technology Of The Future." Brooklyn Law
Review 76.3 (2011): 1121-1163. Legal Collection. Web. 6 Oct. 2014.
Powell, Chadd. "Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research,
and Policy." Journal of Youth and Adolescence 38.3 (2009): 483-5. ProQuest. Web. 29
Sep. 2014.